The Footsteps of Communism: A Revolutionary Call to Create a Classless Society

 

The Footsteps of Communism: A Revolutionary Call to Create a Classless Society

If we look at the pages of history, we see that the progress of civilization is not so much a story of building buildings as it is a history of the sighs of exploited people. Whenever human society is divided into mountains of wealth and hungry faces, the air becomes heavy with the hope of a new change. At the root of that change lies the original melody of communism—where the dream of building a world of equality by eradicating differences between people is seen. Today, even in the midst of the intense capitalist competition of the 21st century, the footsteps of communism can be heard from afar.

Communism: More Than Just a Theory—A Demand for Rights

The philosophy that took on a distinct political and social form through Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels is rooted in fundamental human needs. Communism signifies more than just the equitable distribution of economic resources; its true essence lies in the equality of dignity. Its objective is to ensure that basic rights—such as education, healthcare, food, clothing, and shelter—do not become the exclusive property of a privileged class.

The history of civilization is essentially the history of class struggle. While one group has monopolized wealth for ages, the song of liberation has simultaneously resonated in the hearts of the exploited and deprived. This message of liberation and the struggle to secure rights are metaphorically described as the "footsteps of communism." Communism is not merely a political theory; it is a revolutionary driving force for establishing the rights of the working people in society.

The Advent and Historical Context of Communism:

In the 19th century, the world first glimpsed the blueprint of a new social order through the writings of philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. They called for breaking the shackles of capitalism to build a society where private ownership would cease to exist and all means of production would be under public control.

At the beginning of the 20th century, these footsteps materialized in global politics. The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia (1917) and the subsequent Chinese Revolution led by Mao Zedong (1949) demonstrated that when ordinary working people unite, they can shake the very foundations of the oppressor. These historic transformations represented the tangible footsteps of communism on the global stage.

The Core Tenets of Communism:

The fundamental basis of communism is equality. Its primary objectives include:

1. Establishing a classless society: Dismantling the artificial barriers between the rich and the poor.

2. Equitable distribution of wealth: Ensuring the right to work according to one's ability and to receive resources according to one's needs.

3. Ending Exploitation: Putting a stop to the exploitation of the labor of workers or peasants by capitalists.

The Role and Significance of Communists in Securing Rights:

Communists have played a unique and immense role in the history of securing rights—not only globally but also within the Indian subcontinent, and particularly in Bengal. The contributions of Communist parties and their cadres in establishing the theory of communism as a tool for the rights of the common people are discussed below:

The First Demand for Complete Independence:

In the history of India's freedom movement, it was the Communists who first raised the demand for "Complete Independence" at the 1921 Ahmedabad session. Their sacrifices in the uncompromising struggle against British imperialism remain unforgettable.

Worker-Peasant Movements and the Protection of Rights:

Communists played a pioneering role in movements ranging from the Tebhaga and Telangana struggles to the fight for the rights of jute mill and tea garden workers. Historic reforms—such as the establishment of minimum wages, the right to an eight-hour workday, and the abolition of the *Zamindari* system to transfer land to landless peasants—were the fruits of the Communist movement.

Social Welfare and Secularism:- The contribution of communists in establishing education, health and social security as the fundamental rights of the common man is undeniable. They have always been vocal in maintaining communal harmony in society and eliminating gender inequality.

Echoes of communism in Bengali literature:-

Communism is very closely related to Bengali culture. This awakening of the exploited people was not limited to politics only, it also stirred the minds of poets and writers. The communist poet Kazi Nazrul Islam sang the song of human equality. The poems of poets Sukanta Bhattacharya and Subhash Mukherjee have repeatedly sounded the message of the fall of the bourgeoisie and the song of the arrival of a new communist dawn. In Bengali literature, this call for revolution has been metaphorically described by poets as the "footsteps of equality." As the poet Sukanta Bhattacharya used to say, the oath of a new world sounded:

> "I will make this world habitable for this child—

> This is my firm promise to the newborn."

 > ("এ বিশ্বকে এ শিশুর বাসযোগ্য ক’রে যাব আমি—

> নবজাতকের কাছে এ আমার দৃঢ় অঙ্গীকার।")

> 

This commitment is the core spirit of communism."

Relevance of communism in the modern era:-

In the current world, the abundance of technology and resources is greater than at any time in the past. But the question remains—to whom is this abundance reaching? The vast majority of wealth is being concentrated in the hands of a handful of billionaires around the world, while billions of ordinary working people are being crushed in the daily struggle for bread and bread. From the climate crisis to war—the unlimited profit-seeking mentality is working behind everything.

When farmers take to the streets for not getting the right price for their labor, slogans are raised against layoffs in factories, or the general youth speak out demanding the right to education and employment—that is where the message of communism resonates. Whenever people become aware of their rights and walk on the path of collective liberation, it is understood that communism is not an old idea, but rather the most urgent need of the day. The relevance of communism in today's modern and capitalist world too It is not over. Whenever economic inequality in society becomes extreme, whenever the common man is deprived of his basic rights, the ideology of communism is subconsciously revived. Any social or political movement to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor is actually part of the eternal footsteps of communism.

The way forward:-

The path of communism is not smooth. However, the dream of building a new society without exploitation can never be silenced. As long as there is a wall between the rich and the poor in society, as long as human labor is bought and sold like a commodity, the desire for equality will continue to burn in the hearts of people. That desire has shaped history throughout the ages, and even today it is calling for change from afar.

Conclusion:-

The footsteps of communism are a symbol of awareness of the rights of the exploited. It reminds us that the dream of building a beautiful, non-discriminatory and humane society can never fade. As long as exploitation and inequality exist in society, Until then, this sound of human liberation will continue to echo.